Washing machine



March 22', 1932'. G, H WEST 1,850,523

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 19'. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENT OR March22, 1932. G. H. WEST WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 19, 1928gVENTOR WT)I%% EYS Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEGRANVILLE H. WEST, OF NOBWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRYMACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO WASHINGMACHINE Application filed April 19,

This invention relates .to fabric treating apparatus such as washing,drying and dry cleaning machines.

The present invention compr ses an outer tub for receiving treatingliquid, an inner revolving cylinder spaced therefrom and comprisingpreferably imperforate end heads, an outer cylindrical wall and radialcompartment forming partitions, three in number, for example, extendingfrom the center to the outer cylindrical wall with perforated zones orareas in the structure, thus formed, adjacent the junction of the part1-tions and the cylindrical wall only, whereby the load or batch ofmaterial in any compartment when lodged against the perforated areaswill operate as a valve and close such perforations thereby trapping thetreating liquid in the compartment and causing it to travel up and overand remain with the load in the compartment to prolong and continue thetreating operation around the cylinder. The treating operation in anycompartment is quite similar to that practiced in the unpartitionbaflled type of Washing cylinder above referred to. By suchan'arrangement the batch, in any one compartment, is progressivelysubmerged in the liquid at the bottom of the cylinder, is spread outtherein permitting penetration of the treating liquid, and thereaftercrowded with a squeezin action in the presence of the trapped liquid inone of the corner pockets of the compartments. As the particularcompartment con- -tinues to travel upward and over the top, the batch islifted by a suitable baflie in the compartment and caused to tumble intoa pool in another corner pocket of the compartment where a furthersqueezing action is produced in the presence of the treating liquid. Asthe cylinder continues to rotate, the liquid from' the compartment isdischarged into the outer tub or'ciising and an additional supply isdrawn in, the batch of materials being separated and distributedthroughout the new 1928. Serial No. 271,271.

supply and being again subjected to a like treatment. It is obvious thatthe trapped liquid, when taken up in a. compartment where imperforatepartitions are used, is not discharged into another compartment but isconfined to the batch of material in that compartment and from thence isdischarged into the outer tub where foreign matter, if any, may have anopportunity to settle to the bottom of the outer tub and be collected ina trap, such as is used in this type of machine.

It is also apparent that the materials will besubjected to baths oftreating liquids in the compartments as they move up and over the top,giving the trapped liquid an opportunity to penetrate to the center,which action is followed by a. squeezing action when the materialsgravitate to an angular corner pocket. The trapping of liquid in-thecompartments also avoids the sliding of the batch along what might betermed dry surfaces thereby preventing-injury to the materials andavoiding pounding by the materials or batch being tumbled into a pool orbath of treating liquid. Where the materialstreated are placed in nets,it is found, especially Where baffles are arranged upon the part-itions,that the batch of nets is rotated in the sense that they are tumbledover along the surfaces and into the corner pockets with the result thatany one net never remains in the same position throughout the operationof the machine, but moves from place to place 1n the compartment therebyinsuring even and ideal penetration of the treating liquid so as tocause the compartments to function substantially the same in bothdirections.

An important aspect of the case is the extent of the perforated areas sothat the predetermined normal batch of material in the of these areas tothe extent of trapping the desired amount of treating liquid fortreating is closed by a suitable door 11 of any prement in eachcompartment, the valve action being automatic with the rotation of thecyl-- indera Other objects and benefits of the invention will be morefully apparent fr m the,

following description, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view broken awayillustrating the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section; andFigs. 3 to 18 are schematic cross sections showing the various positionsof a load in one of the compartments as the cylinder revolves in onedirection and completes one revolution.

In the embodiment shown, 1 illustrates one of the end frames whichsupport the tub cylinder 2 of the usual type and provided with asuitable opening 3 adapted to be closed by an outer door 4. Rotatablymounted in this tub is the treating cylinder comprising end heads 5preferably imperforate. Secured to these end heads in any improvedmanner is an outer cylindrical wall having imperforate portions 6 andspaced isolated perforated portions 7, three being shown. Secured withinthis cylinder, in any preferred manner, are radial partitions 8preferably imperforate and extending from the center of the cylinder tothe outer wall and meeting the same along a line preferably within andat the center of the circumferential dimension of one of the perforatedareas 7. These partitions extend from end to end of the cylinder and onone of the faces of each partition there is a baflle 9 of substantiallypyramid form in cross section and co-extensive with the length partitionto which it is attached. These batfles are arranged near but at adistance from the center of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 2. Thepartitions with the accompanying arcuate outer cylinder wall portionform sector-shaped compartments with an angular pocket at the center ofthe cylinder and angular pockets at the junction ofthe partitions withthe outer cylinderwall. These angular pockets receive the batch as itismoved about in the compartment and serve to produce a squeezing actionfor discharging treating liquid from the material of the batch, as willmore fully appear.

Since it is essential that access be had to the compartments for loadingand unloading, the arcuate portion of the outer cylindrical wall of eachcompartment is provided with an opening 10 extendingirom substantiallythe middle of the periphery of the compart ment to one face of one-ofthe partitions of the compartment. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2,the opening extends to the right hand lower partition, as shown. Thisopenferred construction and is provided with a group of perforationsindicated at 12 to continue and maintain the isolated perforated grouparrangement.

In Figs. 3 to 18, a single batch of material in nets is shown in asingle compartment with the various views taken at step by step inmovement of the cylinder throughout one complete revolution in onedirection and .the various nets of material are indicated with referenceletters so that they may be identified in their progress during thecomplete revolution. These nets are indicated by the referencecharacters a, b, 0, (Z,- c and f. In Fig. 3 the compartment X, forinstance, is provided with a load of nets and the lower verticalpartition is moving clock-wise through the liquid in the bottom of thetub and with the cylinder carrying ahead of it, this load of nets,together with a quantity of treating liquid, which isbeing trapped inthis compartment by the sliding of the nets in a counter-clockwisedirection along the outer cylinder wall and blocking the openings 7, asis clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. Continued rotation of the cylindercauses this same partition to elevate the load and settle it morecompletely in the lower left hand corner pocket of the compartment X.The nets are also being lodged between the baflie on this partition andthe outer wall, as shown in Fi 6. This arrangement continues through ig.7 with slight shifting of the load, Figs. 7 and 8, until the nets andload are caused to separate and tumble in a more or less separatedcondition into the bath of treating liquid which is now shifted totheposition shown in Fig. 9, with the result that some" liquid isdischarged through the perforated area to the right of this compartmentbut much of it is sprayed up over the materials as they fall into thebath. This operation is completed with the progression of the cylinderthrough Figs. 10 and 11 where the batch is a ain lodged in the righthand corner pocket 0 the compartment X and the perforations through theouter wall at this corner pocket are completely blocked by the load. Thematerials shift slightly as the cylinder progresses to bring thecompartment X to the position shown in Fi 13, where the load is near thebottom an is spreading out in the compartment, slight discharge from thecompartment taking place. In Fig. 15 the load is further shifting in thebath liquid in the compart ment as well as in such liquid as is flowingin through the perforations at the left hand side of the compartment.Fig. 16 shows additional transfer of liquid from the tub to this samecompartment with the shifting of the load through the step in thisfigure and in Fig. 17 back to the original position as indicated in Fig.18.

During various stages, as illustrated for example, in Figs. 4, 5, 9, 10and 11, the bath of liquid is caused to be sprayed and thrown up amongthe nets or the portions of the batch with varying degrees ofpenetration into these nets due to either their tight or loosecondition, depending upon their being permitted to separate and floatapart in the bath.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the various portionsof the batch or the nets shift in their positions not only with respectto the other ina compartment, but are rotated as to location in thecompartment, so to speak, so that the treating liquid has ampleopportunity to act upon all parts of the load and penetrate the same.

From the foregoing it will be seen that any load or batch in anycompartment throughout a single revolution of the cylinder is subjectedto several squeezing and separating operations in the bath of treatingliquid resulting therefore in several penetrating effects throughout onerevolution. It is also uite evident that the materials never slide a ongwhat might be termed dry partition walls, but are always well lubricatedby the bath which is trapped in the compartment. It is also stillfurther quite evident that pounding action resulting from a batchdropped into a dry pocket or corner is done away with since the batchalways slides. falls or tumbles into a pool or bath of treating liquid.It is also evident from the rotation of the portions of the load. due toopportunity for separation, that balling of the load is prevented,thereby increasing the opportunity for penetration of the treatingliquid and preventing tang It is also apparent that by the use ofimperforate partitions the treating liquid from any one compartment maynot enter another compartment carrying with it undesirable materialsresulting from the treatment in the compartment from which it isflowing, but on the other hand, the liquid from any compartmentdischarges into the outer tub where it may have ample opportunity topermit any undesirable foreign matter to settle down into the bottom ofthe tub and not settle into another compartment on the batch therein.These machines are used with traps so that there is ample opportunityfor such foreign material to settle into the trap as a result of theforegoing. This is particularly important in the washing and drycleaning industries.

The arrangement, operation and function of the battles 9 are also ofconsiderable importance, contributing their share to the beneficialresults of the invention. As shown inthe drawings and as beforedescribed, each of the radial partition members 8 is provided with asingle baflie member 9 upon one of its faces only. said baffle extendinglongitudinally of the cylinder axis. These baflies are located betweenthe-central axis and the periphery of the cylinder but preferably nearerto the former than to the latter. Their purpose is to retard or holdback the work so that instead of simply sliding outwardly from the axistoward the periphery of the cylinder, it tends to move more or lesssuddenly, in addition to which the load is somewhat turned over or mixedup, as is indicated by comparison in order of Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive.While each compartment has but oneof the radial partition members whichbound it provided with a baflie, nevertheless this bafiie acts inpractically the same manner in both directions of rotation of thecylinder. Figs. 3 to 18 inclusive show the cylinder rotating in but onedirection and, as described, each bafiie in turn retards or'holds backthe work in its compartment as the compartment comes forward over theaxis. When the cylinder is rotated in the other direction, the workcollects at the axis in the pocket formed by thebaflle and is again heldback until it is finally released over the edge of the baflie and fallsto the angular pocket at the periphery of the compartment.

' Furthermore, all of these bafiies are located upon the correspondingfaces of the several partition members, and they preferably are on oneparticular face of each partition, to wit. that face which is underneathwhen the partition is in a horizontal position, as approximately shownin the partition at the right in Fig. 9. Thedoor opening of the outertub has its lower edge at approximately the level of the drum axis, asshown in Fig. 2,'and one edge of the door opening in each compartment ofthe drum is in the plane of the smooth or uninterrupted or unribbed faceof a partition member, the door opening extending circumferentially ofthe cylinder toward the ribbed face of the other partition member of thecompartment. As a result, when the cylinder is stopped with a givencompartment in position for unloading or loading, the parts areapproximately in the position shown in Fig. 9, the door of the tub beingin the upper right hand or front quadrant in that view, as" will beobserved by comparison with Fig. 2, and in this position of the partsthe work is supported entirely upon the smooth unobstructed partitionface and can be readily removed from or inserted into the compartmentwithout interference by any baliling rib.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, an outer tub for treatingliquid, and a load carrying cylinder rotatably mounted in said tub andcomprising end heads, an outer cylindrical wall connected to said endheads, and a longitudinally extending compartment forming partitionextending radially to the outer cylindrical wall and forming angularpockets at the junction therewith, said cylinder wall having perforatedareas only at the angular pockets with. imperforate outer cylsaid areasbeing separated circumferentially of the cylinder by an interveningimperforate area, and a longitudinally extending pocketforming partitionmember extending radially to the cylindrical outer wall along a linewithin each perforated area.

3. A machine of the class described in claim 2, wherein the junction ofeach partitionmember with the outer wall is along a line midway of thecircumferential dimension of its perforated area.

4. In a machine of the class described, a tub for treating liquid, aload carrying cylinder rotatably mounted in said tube and comprisingimperforate end heads, an outer cylindrical wall having a plurality ofisolated perforate areas spaced by imperforate areas and extendingsubstantially from one end of the cylinder to the other, andlongitudinal pocket-forming partitions extending radially from thecenter to the cylindrical wall with a partition meeting said wall alonga line midway of the circumferential dimension of its perforated area.

5. A machine of the class described in claim 4, wherein each partitionis provided with a single baflle on one side spaced from but near thecylinder axis.

6. In a machine of the character described, a work holding drum ofcylindrical form provided with a plurality of radial partitions whichare parallel with the drum axis and intersect each other at said axisand form separate compartments, each compartment having a door closedopening in its cylindrical wall, one edge of the door opening to eachcompartment lying approximately in the plane of one face of a artitionbounding such compartment and suc face being smooth and uninterrupted,and each partition having a single bafiiing rib on its opposite face.

7 A machine of the character described in claim 6, including an outercasing or tub having a loading door in its upper front quadrant, andmeans for mounting the cylinder in the tub so that the rib on eachparti- .ion is underneath when the partition extends horizontally at thelower edge of the loading door in the tub.

8. A machine of the class described in claim 2, wherein each partitionmember joins the outer wall along a line midway of the circumnature.

GRANVILLE H. WEST.

